There has been plenty of talk about free agent outfielder Michael Conforto and whether he will or will not be available to play again in 2022 after undergoing shoulder surgery. However, if Conforto is able to return to the diamond, will the Chicago White Sox be the logical choice to land the All-Star outfielder?
The drum is once again starting to bang about Michael Conforto potentially joining the Chicago White Sox
In an article in The New York Post, MLB insider Jon Heyman writes, “Michael Conforto still looks like a fit for the White Sox from here.” Those words beg the question about how much of a fit the 29-year-old Conforto could actually be and how realistic the chances might be that the “fit” actually happens.
There are also a lot of “ifs” buried in that sentence from Heyman as well. First, we haven’t heard much about Conforto since word of his shoulder surgery came out, then agent Scott Boras saying that Conforto’s season might not have actually ended after the surgery. Could Conforto return in September in time to help a team make the postseason? Boras said it was a possibility, and that Conforto will be available to sign with a team after the MLB draft in mid-July, but we have not heard much about that since then.
There are plenty of MLB outfields that could use the help, and the Chicago White Sox are certainly among them. The White Sox rank 23rd out of 30 MLB teams in combined outfield bWAR at minus-1.4, so there is certainly room for improvement.
Entering Saturday, the White Sox sat at 27-29, five games behind the Minnesota Twins in the American League Central race. There is still plenty of time for the White Sox to catch the Twins or get back into the thick of discussion for the Wild Card. However, the team would have to be within striking distance in September for Conforto to make a big impact.
Again, however, there are a lot of “ifs” in the scenario. Conforto would have to be healthy. He would have to be a fit for the White Sox. He would also have to decide that’s the best destination for him as well, seeing that other teams will likely be bidding for his services as well.
Are the Chicago White Sox and Michael Conforto on a collision course? Possibly, but plenty would have to fall just right for Heyman’s words to actually become a reality.